A stoppage time winner sealed a courageous comeback for the Dapto Dandaloo Fury over Wollongong United

at Macedonia Park on Sunday.

Captain Alvin Ceccoli scored in the 91^st minute after a Noel Spencer header cancelled out Robbie Shields’ penalty early in the second half.

The win sees Dapto Dandaloo progress to a semi-final match up against League Champions Bulli next weekend.

“I’ve been here for five or six years now and that was probably the best character performance I’ve seen from this club in that time,” said Fury player-coach Noel Spencer.

“To be one down here at United, which is a tough place to get a result, and come back is a great effort.

“The two old foxes chipped in with one each but it doesn’t matter who scores as long as we get the result and give ourselves another shot at a Grand Final.

“I couldn’t be happier for the guys and it sets up a great match against Bulli next weekend.”

Wollongong will be frustrated with the result after leaving several chances unfinished on the day as an outstanding Mitch Blowes kept them at bay in the Dapto Dandaloo goal.

Sam Nastic made a pair of good saves at the other end to ensure the two sides entered the half time break level.

United started the second half in similar fashion with an extended period of pressure paying dividends for the club as they were awarded a penalty for a handball inside the area.

Top goal scorer Robbie Shields made no mistake from the spot and gave Wollongong the lead in the 49^th minute.

The home side seemed to ease off for a period after the goal and in the 71^st minute the Fury found a way back into the game when Spencer was able to nod home a Ceccoli free-kick with the United defence at ‘sixes & sevens’, to tie it up at 1-1.

Shields nearly put his side back into the lead when he struck the upright from a tight angle a few moments later.

The two clubs traded blows late on but it was Dapto Dandaloo who were able to nick the decisive goal at the death.

Ceccoli managed to wiggle free inside the area to convert the winner with a towering header from a Sam Munro corner and send the Fury into the next round.

“We got up with the penalty and just took our foot off the pedal for a few minutes there,” said Wollongong United boss Oli Vrtkovski.

“The disappointing thing for us was the amount of opportunities we squandered on the day and if you miss those chances you don’t win matches; that’s just the way it goes.

“We won’t do much different, we’re creating a lot of chances and if we had a bit more luck on our side then we would’ve been four or five up.

“It just wasn’t going our way today.”

United will now take on a resurgent Port Kembla side who progressed with a 3-1 win over South Coast United in the Elimination Final on Sunday.

Meanwhile Dapto Dandaloo will be looking to avenge their last meeting with Bulli when they were soundly defeated 5-0.

 

1-2	Wollongong United	Dapto Dandaloo Fury
Goals:	R. Shields (49’)	N. Spencer (71’); A. Ceccoli (91’)
Bookings:	P. Peralta (y)	C. Bush (y); N. Spencer (y)

 

  Referee: Andrew Naylor

 

Julian Keith 

FSC Reporter